Asthma Diagnosis: When Is Chest CT Imaging Needed?

Understanding when chest imaging may be useful in asthma

Does everyone with asthma need a chest scan? Not necessarily. For most people with mild to moderate asthma, chest imaging is not routinely needed. However, in people with severe or uncontrolled asthma, a high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan of the chest may provide valuable information to help healthcare professionals better understand what is happening in the lungs.

In this video, an expert explains when chest CT imaging may be considered in asthma, what doctors can learn from the scan, and how the results may contribute to diagnosis and asthma management.

In this video, you’ll learn:

• Why chest imaging is usually not needed for mild to moderate asthma
• When CT imaging may be considered in people with severe or uncontrolled asthma
• How imaging can help identify or rule out other conditions that may mimic or worsen asthma symptoms
• How CT scans can identify features such as mucus plugging and signs of small airway dysfunction
• Why radiation exposure needs to be considered, particularly in children and young adults
• How newer low-dose CT techniques may help reduce radiation exposure

Why might a chest CT be considered?

Asthma is usually diagnosed using a combination of symptoms, medical history and lung function testing, and chest imaging is not routinely required.

However, when asthma is severe, difficult to control or does not respond as expected to treatment, additional investigations may sometimes be needed. A chest CT can provide detailed images of the lungs and may help healthcare professionals identify other conditions or structural changes that could be contributing to symptoms.

Watch the video below to learn when chest CT imaging may be considered and what it can reveal about the lungs.